On Angel's Wings
by Rose-The-Maverick
Summary: "If you are so determined to be the angel of the Districts," President Snow whispered in her ear. "Then please. Allow me to assist." Katniss was kidnapped by the Capitol a few weeks after the 74th Hunger Games, but she never thought this would be their motive. AU from the end of Book 1. Wing!Fic.


**WELL LOOK WHO TOOK A YEARS HIATUS FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN SHE GOT BORED AND KIND OF FORGOT. **

**Hey, lovelies. I understand if punching me repeatedly and slamming my face into a rock sound like useful pastimes right now. Not much I can say on that. Please take this as my peace offering.**

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"Three squirrels for half the bag."

"A quarter of it, and I ain't going no lower."

"Then I guess I'm not buying, am I?"

The trader glowered at Katniss from across the stall. His dark, heavy brows knitted together as he pulled a roll of tobacco from behind his ear and lit it.

"Well, that's certainly a damn shame, little girl. A right damned shame."

There was a silence, broken only by the dealer's regular waft and bellow of smoke from the gently smouldering cigarette. He licked his lips and chewed thoughtfully on the end of the roll-up, eyes flickering to the rope of game tied around Katniss's waist.

"I'll tell you what, little lady. I'll give you half the bag for a half dozen of them wrens you got there. That sound fair to you?"

Katniss frowned for a split second, scanning the stall for any worthwhile goods to throw into the bargain. A few faded bolts of cloth, two barrels of coal scraps, and a leather belt, tossed carelessly over the side of the vendor's stall. Decision made, she flicked her plait over her shoulder as she spoke again.

"Throw in that belt over there and sure, you've got yourself a deal."

The merchant looked hard at her for a minute or so, Katniss meeting his gaze as fiercely as she could. Then, spitting the tobacco stump over his shoulder, his eyes crinkled, and he bellowed out a hoarse laugh.

"I'll give you one thing girl; you can sure drive a hell of a bargain." He bought the wares up to the table as Katniss tugged the wrens from her waist, placing them one by one on the table in front of her. She threw the bag and belt over her shoulder as she walked away into the tight throng of the Hob, surrounded immediately by the regular sensory onslaught; the sharp, burning scent of melting glue, the pungent musk of fresh spices, the hiss and spit of cooking meat and the ever present salty-sweet tang of sweat.

She walked fast and low, her head bent as she checked the supplies she'd purchased. Half a sack of nuts for Gale's mother, some dried yarrow roots and sloe berries for her own. The belt she would give to Prim; something to hold up the clothes which seemed to be forever too small on her fast growing frame.

Katniss sighed as she approached the crossroads that lay just beyond the Hub. A year ago, she would have turned left here, heading out towards the dark cluster of miner's cottages that lay a few miles east of the main town. Instead, she walked onwards reluctantly. Victor's Village was placed at the top of a small hill, and overlooked the town itself. Although it wasn't the most comfortable of walks up and down the steep slopes, Katniss took comfort in the repeating of her old actions.

Buying, selling, trading, hunting. They were so familiar to her, and although the Capitol made sure of the fact they were never in want of anything, she couldn't bring herself to break away from them.

All her life, she'd been taught to never let down her guard. She knew, what with the stir she and Peeta had caused all those months ago in the arena, that that rule applied to her now more than ever.

She opened the door to the new house she shared with her mother and Prim. It was huge, too huge, really. The wide, open spaces made her feel vulnerable, and more often than not she found herself slipping into Prim's room at night, taking comfort in her sister's continued existence. Despite that, despite all that had happened it still felt wrong, living here, and knowing that somewhere, there was one more family being ripped apart. One more man or woman dying in the dark hell pits of the District 12 mines.

She may have won her freedom, but that didn't stop the guilt that overwhelmed her when she saw the blood-stained stretchers being carried away from the mining hills.

There was a creak in the floorboards behind her, and Katniss swung round, plait swinging wildly as she pulled a knife from under her tunic.

"Hey, come on. It's just me." A familiar voice spoke out. Peeta was stood behind her, hands raised in placation. Katniss let out the breath she was unaware she'd been holding and slowly lowered the knife.

"It's just you." She sighed inaudibly in relief, her eyes meeting with Peeta's own as she stashed the knife back into its hiding place.

"Just me." Peeta replied simply. There was a silence as he took in the bag of supplies at her belt.

"Have you been to the Hob?" he asked, following Katniss as she made her way to the small larder that followed off from the kitchen.

"I had some things to do." Katniss answered, pushing the sloe berries into their flask and struggling for the empty box of yarrow root on the top shelf. "Besides, I'm not sure I trust the supplies that the Capitol's oh-so-kindly been providing." Peeta nodded in agreement, before reaching up easily, and passed the box down to Katniss.

"Here." He said, handing it to her. Their eyes met again, and Katniss looked away, trying to find anything to diffuse the tension.

"While we're on the subject, any news on that front lately?" Katniss queried, brushing past Peeta's form to grab a chair from the table. She clambered onto it, and began to hang the game from the rafters.

"Nothing I've heard of. Haymitch says he thinks we're over the worst of the backlash, but that we should still stay on our guard for anything." Peeta told her, holding the chair steady as Katniss loosened the birds from her belt.

"It makes sense. I definitely wouldn't put it past those guys to try and get us while we're unaware. You know Capitol politics." Katniss smiled bitterly, brushing the hair from her eyes as she reached for another wren. Peeta opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by a huge, resounded boom that shook the very floor of the house. Jars clattered down from shelves, and Katniss lost her balance, Peeta holding her steady by the waist as dust fell ominously from the timber beams. In the view of the large kitchen window, Katniss could see a plume of shadowy, spark filled smoke snaking its way rapidly across the horizon from the mining hills.

They looked at each other, eyes colliding as they spoke without words.

"Tunnel collapse." They said grimly.

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**Oh look, bribery:  
*will give a fluffy penguin to all of her reviewers***


End file.
